Didn't vote because of the choices, but I'd have to say that I preferred the show when Nick was there. Mostly because I'm not a fan of the format they switched to once they went to TV, and also because I liked their dynamic. Basically the whole show was Nick setting up Artie to riff on everything, which was almost always funny. Nick threw in a few good lines now and then. It's weird, but the show is called "The Artie Lange Show" but there isn't enough Artie in the show now. He relies too much on Bocchetti, whom I'm kind of getting sick of. Mike isn't even close to being on the same level as Artie when it comes to ad-libbing and stuff. Again, I'm sure the visual on Directv helps, but I don't have it so.. Even the fact that Artie is the main host now kind of hurts the comedy, since he has to act like he gives a shit about all these dumb guests they have on. Before, he never kept it quiet if he didn't give a shit about a guest, now he has to play along. I don't hate the show now, it's just different and I liked it better when it was Dan, Nick and Artie in a tiny room being funny. I laughed way more at the show then than I do now.

Didn't vote because of the choices, but I'd have to say that I preferred the show when Nick was there. Mostly because I'm not a fan of the format they switched to once they went to TV, and also because I liked their dynamic. Basically the whole show was Nick setting up Artie to riff on everything, which was almost always funny. Nick threw in a few good lines now and then. It's weird, but the show is called "The Artie Lange Show" but there isn't enough Artie in the show now. He relies too much on Bocchetti, whom I'm kind of getting sick of. Mike isn't even close to being on the same level as Artie when it comes to ad-libbing and stuff. Again, I'm sure the visual on Directv helps, but I don't have it so.. Even the fact that Artie is the main host now kind of hurts the comedy, since he has to act like he gives a shit about all these dumb guests they have on. Before, he never kept it quiet if he didn't give a shit about a guest, now he has to play along. I don't hate the show now, it's just different and I liked it better when it was Dan, Nick and Artie in a tiny room being funny. I laughed way more at the show then than I do now.

The show is basically an abortion. If Artie is still somewhat healthy whenever this contract ends and he starts a podcast or something, that could be cool.

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It's worse than abortion. It was delivered stillborn and the mother is in denial and bringing the dead carcass to school in a stroller while everyone watches horrified. The show is awful. Impossible to defend nor listen to at all.

And if Artie is healthy? If? Oh what? Getting arrested. Fighting with his girlfriend. Pissing in a trashbin. Falling asleep on the air again. I hope that everyone here who turns a blind eye to Artie's continued heroin use continues to whine that Howard ignored all of the obvious signs. Who actually thinks Artie is sober?

Are his sycophants really this delusional. Mad TV thrown away because of drugs and suicide. Howard Stern Show same thing. I'm guessing Artie's not going to finish this contract.

Sorry, I thought I was being clear... the question was "Is The Show Better Without Nick Dipaolo? / Has The Show Been Better Since Nick Dipaolo Has Left" and my answer was "Lightyears" better.

Nick dragged down the show at every turn, forcing it into sports guest / sports guest / stats / HARD BREAK / sports guest / HARD BREAK / sports scores / Twins format every day. Any opportunity Artie had to inject comedy was forced around the edges of the formula. As kev indicated, Artie really can be his best in those "I'm not responsible" situations, but even then Rick didn't allow him close to enough time to do it. His jealousy and anger was palpable at all times.

Whether because of Rick's departure or because of a general loosening of the format (and the reigns) Artie has been allowed to be funny whenever the fuck he feels like it, NOT on those few moments Rick isn't barreling on to the next thing on his piece of paper before the HARD BREAK. Sometimes it sucks, but much of the time lately Artie's been putting in actual effort AND IT SHOWS. When he wants to he can be a funny and entertaining guy. (When he doesn't we get 2 hours of him kissing up to a cute and talentless female "comic".)

He often goes 2/3 to 3/3 of a show without a single mention of sports. Hey, if you liked the sports content then this will be really bad for you. But if you're coming in it to be entertained (because, you know, sports talk is only available on 32,406 other stations and podcasts) it's a HUGE and great change from the rigid format adhered to under Rick and Marty. Sometimes he starts with a funny story, sometimes with a bit, sometimes straight to an interview. This would never have happened before. Was it Rick's fault or was he only following orders? Don't know, don't care.

It's worse than abortion. It was delivered stillborn and the mother is in denial and bringing the dead carcass to school in a stroller while everyone watches horrified. The show is awful. Impossible to defend nor listen to at all.

And if Artie is healthy? If? Oh what? Getting arrested. Fighting with his girlfriend. Pissing in a trashbin. Falling asleep on the air again. I hope that everyone here who turns a blind eye to Artie's continued heroin use continues to whine that Howard ignored all of the obvious signs. Who actually thinks Artie is sober?

Are his sycophants really this delusional. Mad TV thrown away because of drugs and suicide. Howard Stern Show same thing. I'm guessing Artie's not going to finish this contract.

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Says a guy who listens to O&A.

Anyway, I always hated Nick and was calling for him to be fired from the first day I posted here, so I have to say it's better now. It's very hit or miss; some shows are the best radio I've heard in long time, some are terrible (like this week's show with the female comedian) and it's all really tied to whether Artie has a decent guest or not. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I don't mind Ritchie, my only real complaint is the music.

If you've ever read any of the threads in this forum, you'd know the answer is absolutely.

Artie fans need to blame everyone except Artie, for what reason, I don't know. I assume it's because they can relate with a humorless, fat, white trash degenerate. But they are almost pathological in their defending of him. Artie is always innocent! They bought in to the whole "Artie is a regular guy just like you" mantra that Stern was pushing back in the early 00's. Ever since, if anything goes wrong, it's always somebody elses fault. Artie's drug problems, his suicide, his being unfunny, etc, etc... It sure the hell isn't Arties fault!

Even threads about how shitty his current show is, they blame everyone except artie. It's the Artie Lange show. If you can't blame Artie for his own show sucking, I don't know who the else you can blame?

Anyway, I always hated Nick and was calling for him to be fired from the first day I posted here, so I have to say it's better now. It's very hit or miss; some shows are the best radio I've heard in long time, some are terrible (like this week's show with the female comedian) and it's all really tied to whether Artie has a decent guest or not. Maybe I'm in the minority, but I don't mind Ritchie, my only real complaint is the music.

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I just realized that everything KillVampires cited happened in the Rick era, or long before. Artie's personal life has been kind of safe and boring lately (a good thing obviously). He may or may not be using drugs again/still, but a big side effect of Rick's absence has been forcing him to be mostly-awake for the show. Artie's always funnier when he's sober. (Or maybe coked up, I dunno.) As I said, when he actually makes an effort it's great, and he does make an effort about 68% of the time.

If you've ever read any of the threads in this forum, you'd know the answer is absolutely.

Artie fans need to blame everyone except Artie, for what reason, I don't know. I assume it's because they can relate with a humorless, fat, white trash degenerate. But they are almost pathological in their defending of him. Artie is always innocent! They bought in to the whole "Artie is a regular guy just like you" mantra that Stern was pushing back in the early 00's. Ever since, if anything goes wrong, it's always somebody elses fault. Artie's drug problems, his suicide, his being unfunny, etc, etc... It sure the hell isn't Arties fault!

Even threads about how shitty his current show is, they blame everyone except artie. It's the Artie Lange show. If you can't blame Artie for his own show sucking, I don't know who the else you can blame?

Oh look, another asshole who only posts in the forum to shit all over Artie. I blame Artie for everything he does, except I don't think the show sucks and I enjoy listening. I don't care if he's on heroin, drinking, gambling, whatever, I like him and he puts on a good show. Go fuck yourself up the ass with a fungo bat and post this in the forum trolls with nothing better to do forum, buddy.

If you've ever read any of the threads in this forum, you'd know the answer is absolutely.

Artie fans need to blame everyone except Artie, for what reason, I don't know. I assume it's because they can relate with a humorless, fat, white trash degenerate. But they are almost pathological in their defending of him. Artie is always innocent! They bought in to the whole "Artie is a regular guy just like you" mantra that Stern was pushing back in the early 00's. Ever since, if anything goes wrong, it's always somebody elses fault. Artie's drug problems, his suicide, his being unfunny, etc, etc... It sure the hell isn't Arties fault!

Even threads about how shitty his current show is, they blame everyone except artie. It's the Artie Lange show. If you can't blame Artie for his own show sucking, I don't know who the else you can blame?

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I'm in this forum a lot lately, and I can't recall a single post that fits the criteria you describe.

"Artie is always innocent!" - Uh, no, most of us seem to think he's probably still on substances at least part of the time.

"Artie's drug problems, his suicide, his being unfunny, etc, etc... It sure the hell isn't Arties fault!" That's pure bullshit. No one here has said that.

"Even threads about how shitty his current show is, they blame everyone except artie. It's the Artie Lange show. If you can't blame Artie for his own show sucking, I don't know who the else you can blame?"

More bullshit. When Artie sucks we say so. When his cohost sucks (they all do) we say so. When a bit falls flat or is done to death (like matzoh eating or Andre the Giant) we say so. We know and discuss that much of this is Artie's responsibility. So what the fuck are you talking about? Which part of "we find Artie frequently funny, but not so much X, Y, and Z" is difficult for you to comprehend?

I just realized that everything KillVampires cited happened in the Rick era, or long before. Artie's personal life has been kind of safe and boring lately (a good thing obviously). He may or may not be using drugs again/still, but a big side effect of Rick's absence has been forcing him to be mostly-awake for the show. Artie's always funnier when he's sober. (Or maybe coked up, I dunno.) As I said, when he actually makes an effort it's great, and he does make an effort about 68% of the time.

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Artie was literally passing out on the show multiple nights in a row, babbling incoherently not long after Nick's departure. It was so bad that Ken Kohl had to yell at Artie and tell him to get it together (something Artie talked about on-air). Granted, Artie has been better lately but he was at his absolute worst soon after he went solo.

The show was a "comedic look at sports" and people complain that they used to to talk about sports? I don't watch CNN and then complain that they focus too much on current events.

Never saw that particular tagline but so what? I liked the show because of Artie, and despite the presence of both Rick and sports. What's strange about wishing for more of what you like and less of what you don't? This time I got my wish...

If you've ever read any of the threads in this forum, you'd know the answer is absolutely.

Artie fans need to blame everyone except Artie, for what reason, I don't know. I assume it's because they can relate with a humorless, fat, white trash degenerate. But they are almost pathological in their defending of him. Artie is always innocent! They bought in to the whole "Artie is a regular guy just like you" mantra that Stern was pushing back in the early 00's. Ever since, if anything goes wrong, it's always somebody elses fault. Artie's drug problems, his suicide, his being unfunny, etc, etc... It sure the hell isn't Arties fault!

Even threads about how shitty his current show is, they blame everyone except artie. It's the Artie Lange show. If you can't blame Artie for his own show sucking, I don't know who the else you can blame?